Recently, three Members retired with almost 80 years of service between them! They retired from three different employers, but with one common denominator: good-paying, good-benefit Teamster jobs! The retirees are:

Dale Cruz retired from ABF Freight after 36 years of service as a dock worker. Before his time at ABF, Dale worked at YRC as a casual for two years. The Teamsters run deep in the Cruz family: Dale's father worked at Yellow Freight, and his son presently works at ABF.

Dale and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 38 years and have four children: one daughter and three sons, along with seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Since retiring, Dale and Sarah have been to Puerto Rico, where Dale was raised, Tennessee, and Florida. They plan to travel the country as long as they can. When spending time at home, Dale likes to take care of his flower gardens and indoor palm trees.

Looking back, Dale reflected: "The guys at work were all awesome, I got along with everybody, I miss them already! Matt, my BA was always there when you needed him!"

Dale receives his retirement watch and congratulations from Local 776 BA John Taylor.

Jay Lawrence retired after working for 21 years at York County Prison as a Correctional Officer—quite an accomplishment in a job where you continually deal with people not having their best day.

Jay has been married to his wife Jovanna for 20 years, and they have quite a brood together: five children, 17 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren! How do you remember all their names! Now that he’s retired, Jay has more time to spend with that big family. Over the years, Jay and Jovanna found time to travel, having visited Rome, Greece, and Panama. Currently, Jay has 2 acres of grass to maintain, so he spends his time cutting the grass. Additionally, he collaborates with the Masons, assisting with fishing tournaments they sponsor to introduce kids to fishing. He also works with youth who are having trouble with their parents by just spending time with them, letting them know someone cares.

Think back on his time as a Teamster, Jay commented: “Work hard and play hard. Take time out to enjoy yourself and smell the roses! Life is so short it will quickly pass you by”

Jay is all smiles after picking up his retirement watch!

Joe Moyer recently retired from UPS after spending 21 years working at the Middletown Airport. Joe worked the AM shift, starting work around 5:00 AM as the UPS planes converged on the tarmac. In addition to working at UPS, Joe had a full-time landscaping company that kept him on the go. Since retiring from UPS, Joe sold the landscape business, but when contacted, he picks and chooses the jobs he would like to do. Not one to sit idly by and watch time go by, Joe Bartends part-time at a local watering hole!

With a step-son and a daughter combining for six grand kids, Joe has more time to see and visit with them now that his work schedule is reduced. In his spare time, Joe likes to fish, he fishes the Susquehanna River occasionally, but he lives on Swatara Creek with access to the water and mainly fishes the creek.

Looking back on 21 years as a Teamster, Joe reflected: “The people I worked with were great. The camaraderie and laughter while working made it easy to get through. It was a part-time job, but it provided excellent healthcare benefits that I relied on as a single parent. And after 21 years, I have a pension from a part-time job! I want to thank the Teamsters; they were always there when you needed them, and they made the wages and benefits possible.”

Joe receives his retirement watch and congratulations from Local 776 BA Dave Licht.

Congratulations on your retirements, gentlemen! May you enjoy your retirement for as long as it took you to earn it!